DP sponsor & Kids Hope USA inspire summer reading

Dear Mary French,
I’m sending you a link to some pictures taken last week at a Barnes and Noble in Houston, where 95 "at-risk" elementary school students from 2 Houston ISD schools received 3 books and a dictionary. These were a gift from me in the hope that these students will read them over the summer and return to school in September without having lost a grade level in reading skill.
On the field trip to Barnes and Noble, the 95 students had a tour of the bookstore (some of them had never been in a bookstore), an enthusiastic introduction to the dictionary by me, a story read by a talented Barnes and Noble staff, a gift bag with the name of each student on it, the 3 books and dictionary, each with a bookplate with date and student’s name. They were accompanied by some teachers and their mentors. They are a part of the Kids’ Hope at St. Luke’s Methodist Church, which also has a group of volunteers who work in a woodshop. These woodshop volunteers have decided to make 100 bookshelves as their project for this summer, as a gift to the Kids’ Hope students for keeping their books.
I am so thankful to you for inspiring me to go forward with some of the most joyful and meaningful times I’ve ever had.
Mary Sherwood

 For more information about Kids Hope USA: http://www.kidshopeusa.org/